Screen repair device



May 6 1941v c. GRoNBl-:RG 2,241,257

A SCREEN REPAIR DEVICE Filed oct. 1e, 1939- INVENTOR.

i CLA ENCE GRONBERG.

.P1677 1'/ v *BY vn/.7 l!

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 6, 1941 SCREEN REPAIR DEVICE Clarence'Gronberg, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Arnold -B. Carlson, Aurora, Ill.

Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,645

4 Claims.

This invention relates toscreen repair units and their method of constructionand more particularly to improved screen patch attaching expedients for repairing punctured or frayed wire screens, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of an improved wire screen patch that is neat, compact, rugged in construction, and readily applicable for efficient and practical attachment over a defective region of a screen without entailing any appreciable time or labor,

One object of the present invention is to provide a simple, rugged screen patch of improved construction.

"Still another Objectis to provide an improved screen repair device having spaced securing means associated therewith for superimposed merger with a frayed or `punctured wire mesh screen.

A still further object is to provide an improved screen repair device which may be readily and conveniently superimposed on a punctured, frayed or torn wire mesh screen toserve as a substantially integral and closely adherent patch therefor.

Other objects and advantages will appearv from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. Y

In the drawing: l

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional front View in elevation vshowing the placement of ductile pellets and wire mesh screening in the die members prior to the formation of thenished screen repair device.

Figure 2 is the same view as Figure 1 showing the simultaneous formation of securing means and their incorporation with the wire screening.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the finished screen repair device embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of an enlarged fragmentary section of the device shown in Figure 3, illustrating the bond formed between the wire screening and the securing element.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View in front elevation of one of the securing elements shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a front elevation view illustrating the method of fastening a screen repair device of the character described to a confronting wire screen.

Figure 7 is a top plan View of a Wire screen to which a screen repair patch has lbeen applied in accordance with the teachings of the `present invention.

The structure lselected for illustration comprises a metallic meshed screen I0 formed byinterweaving a plurality of thin, flexiblel transverse wires Il, which are spaced to present a screen mesh sheet preferably though not essentially corresponding to the common type of wire screening in commercial use. In order that the screen strip I9 may serve to'` reinforce and cover a punctured, torn or frayed Wire screen I2 to form a substantially integral and/or permanent part thereof, a plurality of metallic securing elements or fasteners, in this instance ductile pellets I3, are imbedded' at spaced intervals in the screen strip I0.

The fasteners I3 that are preferably though not essentially formed from a spherical pellet I4 such as leador other suitable ductile metal essentially characterized by its soft, ductile qualities, have a substantially circular base I5 with a frusto-conical lug I6 projecting for a short distance therefrom. It should be noted that the fastener base I5 must be of greater Width and area than the corresponding dimensions of any one of the minute spaces I'I in the meshed screen I0. Thus, fasteners I3 will be securely attached to said screen by imbedding a single mesh of Wires II in fastener base I5 v(see Figure 4) This method of securing the fasteners I3 with the Wire screen Ill to be more fully described hereinafter, is accomplished by the application of pressure in such a manner that said fasteners are each intimately interlocked and bonded within a single mesh Il so that they cannot be readily torn from said screen.

The completed screen repair strips ID, ready for commercial use; are produced by placing a plurality of ductile spherical pellets I4 in an equal number of forming dies I8 having substantially frusto-conical cavities I9 in the upper extremities 2l) thereof wherein said pellets are retained. The forming dies I8, in this instance, are shaped from elongated cylindrical rods 2I of hardened steel or other suitable die material, and are slidably mounted within vertical guide bores 22 provided therefor in the lower stationary plate 23 of die press 24. Driving mechanism (not shown), which is controlled by an attendant through suitable lever means (not shown), is provided for reciprocally actuating plunger rods 2| within predetermined limit positions.

The forming operation is commenced by countersinking the forming dies I 8 until the upper edges 20 thereof are sufficiently below the flat surface 25 of stationary plate 23 so that the spherical pellets I4 when placed in said dies, will be substantially level with said surface 25.

- As shown, the neXt step comprises the feeding of a strip of wire screening I0 into the die press 24 so as to cover the soft, workable pellets I4. Then the attendant operating the die press 24 shifts the proper pedal or lever control and the forming dies I3 move upward for some distance beyond the plate surface 25 to be confronted by the downward moving of platen 26 simultaneously set in motion. The pellets I4 and wire screening I0 are then subjected to sufcient pressure between the cooperating platen 26 and forming dies I8 to shape said pellets into the previously described fasteners I3, and at the same time securely imbed said fasteners in` themindividual meshed areas I'I of said screening to produce the device constituting the present invention.

It should be apparent that a plurality of forming dies I8 are spaced at predetermined intervals in the stationary plate member 23 to imbed or owaplurality of correspondingly spaced fasteners I3 preferably of ductile metal in the comparatively small strips of screen IIJ, the strips Ill being produced after cutting larger sheets of wire screen into small, convenient size patches and feeding them through the die press 24. A plurality of said patches I may then be confined in a container to provide a convenient, inexpensive and saleable screen repair kit for repairing and reinforcing any punctured, torn, rusted or frayed screen I2 (Figure 7) such as commonly used for doors and windows.

u When the screen patch III is to be applied to a wire screen I2 requiring the necessary aforementioned repairs, a proper sized patch is rst selected from the repair kit, or if not available in a kit, thenfcut to size from a larger sheet so L as to effectively cover the damaged portion of said screen. Having provided a suitable supporting surface (not shown) `for the damagedppart of saidY screen, the patch IEI` is applied so that the projecting fastener Vlugs I3 will engage the confronting mesh screen. Because of the soft, ductile -character ofthe fasteners I3, they may be readily pressedbr hammered into the wire screen I2 ,in such a manner as to cause the frusto-conical fastener lugs I6 to project intol the spaces I1 between the wires II forming said screen.

,4 vWhen the screen is well supported on one side,

Awhile the fasteners I3 are pressed or hammered into the screen from the opposite side, the lugs VI6 projecting between wires II will be spread so as to cause said wires to be securely imbedded therein, thereby forming a closely and intimately interlocked bond between the patch I0 and the screen I2, so that the two become substantially integral and closely adherent (see Figure 6). It is worthy of note that the ductile fasteners I3 function substantially as a soft metal weld between two similar sheets of metal screen and a closely adherent, tightly secured bond is thus established therebetween.

With the teachings of the present invention, an improved, simple screen repair device is provided which serves as an effective, inexpensive screen patch to be readily applied to any punctured, torn, rusted or frayed screen. Because of its simplicity, effectiveness and low cost, it answers the screen repair problem in every community and results in a neat, permanent patch which will substantially add to the life of the wire mesh screen. Y

Various changes may be made in the embodii ficing any of the advantages or features thereof,

and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a wire screen strip, of spaced ductile pellet fastener means partially imbedded in said screen strip proximate to the edge and intermediate the ends thereof for engagement with a similar confronting wire screen.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a wire screen strip, of a plurality of spaced ductile pellet fastener means partially imbedded in said screen strip intermediate the ends thereof for engagement with a similar confronting wire screen. v

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a wire screen strip, of a. plurality of spaced ,ductile pellet fastener means partially. imbedded in said screen strip intermediate the ends thereof, said ductile pellet fastener means having a projecting element for engagement with a similar confronting Wire screen. c' 

